Mysore/Mysuru: Following reports that Congress leader M.K. Ashok, who was recently conferred with Mysuru district Rajyotsava honour in the social service category, is a rowdy-sheeter of the city, the Kannada and Culture Department has withdrawn the District Rajyotsava Honour conferred on him this year.

In a press release, Kannada & Culture Assistant Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, who was also the Member-Secretary of Felicitation Sub-Committee, said that the Sub-Committee which met here on Oct. 30, had decided to honour 50 achievers from various fields with District Kannada Rajyotsava Honour. Accordingly, the list was published and the achievers were awarded with the honour at the Rajyotsava celebration that took place on Nov. 1. But, before publishing the list, the Sub-Committee could not get feedback from the Police regarding the background of the awardees, due to shortage of time, he said.

As mentioned in the list, M.K. Ashok, who is also the Janani Seva Trust President was honoured. But later after Police records verification, it was discovered that M.K.  Ashok was facing criminal charges which were registered in Lashkar and Devaraja Police Stations, following which the District Administration has taken back the District Rajyotsava Honour from M.K. Ashok, the release said.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has strongly criticised the Congress Government for conferring the District Rajyotsava Honour on a rowdy-sheeter.

Maintaining that the Congress Government had conferred the Honour on a rowdy-sheeter even though it had knowledge about his criminal background, Yatnal wanted the District Administration to disclose who exerted pressure on it to confer the Honour on M.K. Ashok. Contending that the conferment of the Honour on a rowdy-sheeter, had destroyed the sanctity of the Honour, he alleged that some vested interests in the Government wanted to bring a bad name to Mysuru, which is known as the cultural and Heritage Capital of the State.